A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 526

Ending the call, Elissa turned around and saw Rowan standing quietly by the patio doors. She was genuinely surprised.

He knew it was Frank calling, yet he hadn't even tried to shamelessly eavesdrop.

He just stood there, watching from a distance.

When she answered the phone, she had fully prepared herself for him to act like a clingy menace.

While she didn't interfere in his life, she honestly didn't mind when he intervened in hers.

In fact, a small part of her loved it.

When they were younger, Rowan used to micromanage her life just like this.

She had never personally opened a single love letter that was supposed to be delivered to her, nor had she ever seen what was written inside them.

Rowan had intercepted and destroyed every last one.

That was right around the time she realized her feelings for her 'older brother' had crossed a line they shouldn't have.

Because she hadn't been angry when he played interference—she had been secretly thrilled.

Thrilled by the possibility that it meant he cared for her.

But back then, Rowan would just put on a stern face and scold her like an overbearing patriarch: *Our little Nine is too young for this. Those punks are up to no good. Listen to me, ignore them and focus on your medical studies.*

He had acted exactly like a strict elder.

He had acted like she was nothing more than a little sister.

Now, before Elissa even reached him, Rowan casually asked, "Done? Grandma went inside. Let's go eat."

He looked entirely unbothered.

As if he couldn't care less about what she and Frank had just discussed.

*Such a faker.*

Elissa scoffed internally and decided to call out his bluff. "Stop pretending. You have a question written all over your face."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "What question?"

Elissa hit the nail on the head. "It says 'what did you guys talk about'."

"..."

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